The first four F-35 fighters arrived in Denmark to replace their F-16 Fighting Falcons

The first four Danish F-35 fighter jets landed today in Denmark at Flyvestation Skrydstrup base. The Danish Air Force thus begins its transition to fifth-generation fighters.

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At 14.09 hours (local time) the first of the Danish F-35A fighters landed in Denmark. The aircraft had been en route for two days from their home base in the United States, making a stopover in the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean.

At Skrydstrup Air Base, the aircraft were welcomed by ministers, senior officials and a large press contingent. It is a historic event that the F-35 has landed in Denmark so that the transition from the F-16 to the F-35 can finally begin.

The F-35 is more than just a fighter aircraft. The F-35 is a sensor platform that can elevate Danish combat power into a whole new league, both in the air and on the ground with the Army and at sea with the Navy, so that everyone can benefit from the aircraft’s information and gain an unprecedented overview of the battlefield.

See also: Denmark and Netherlands pledge 61 F-16 fighters to Zelensky

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Denmark acquired a total of 27 F-35 Lightning II fighters to replace its aging F-16A/B MLU fighters, 19 of which have already been committed to the Ukrainian Air Force, and another 38 aircraft are being offered by the U.S. Government to Argentina.

Of the total aircraft acquired by Denmark, six units will remain in the U.S. for training and instruction of pilots and technical personnel of the Danish Air Force. The plan for the remaining aircraft is for them to be fully integrated into the Danish defense system by 2027.